Lightweight dual head support assembly for magnetic disk drives

Abstract

A lightweight assembly for suspendingly supporting a pair of magnetic read/write heads and associated sliders from a head-positioning arm, for use in disk type mass storage units. The assembly is formed entirely of aluminum and is intended for mounting to an aluminum arm. A single, unitary flexure supports both head/slider assemblies. The middle of the flexure is secured to the arm, with the longitudinal axis of the flexure transversely spanning the arm so as to support each head in cantilevered fashion, one on each side of the arm's longitudinal axis. A single unload needle can be inserted in a channel running parallel to the longitudinal axis of the flexure for removing the pre-load force from both slider air bearings.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
       1. In a disk drive mass storage unit of the type having at least a pair of read/write heads and a slider member associated with each head for creating an air bearing to support the head when the head is stationed over the surface over a rotating storage disk, each head and associated slider forming a head/slider assembly, and a head positioning arm member adapted to move the head slider assemblies accross the surface of the disk, the improvement comprising: head suspending means for suspendingly supporting each head from a common point on the arm member, in cantilevered fashion, with one head disposed on each side of the longitudinal axis of the arm member;   the head suspending member means including a unitary flexure member adapted to be secured to the arm member proximate the middle of the flexure member, the flexure member further having first and second ends distal the middle of the flexture, and, at each of such ends a slider frame adapted to support a head/slider assembly and further including, for each head/slider assembly, means for applying a pre-load force thereto;   the means for applying a pre-load force including, for each head/slider assembly, a resilient spring member and means for transferring a force from the spring to the head/slider assembly;   a channel-shaped member running the length of the flexure member along one side thereof and adapted to receive a stiff, elongate wire or needle therein;   the force-transferring means associated with each head/slider assembly including a ramp member depending toward the channel-shaped member;   the channel-shaped member having a cut-away portion adapted to receive the ramp from the forced-transferring means;   a stiff, elongate wire adapted to be inserted in the channel member from one end thereof; and   the ramp members being adapted to ride up over the elongate wire when the wire is inserted into the channel member from one end thereof, to remove the pre-load force from the head/slider assemblies.   
     
     
       2. In a disk drive mass storage unit of the type having at least a pair of read/write heads and a slider member associated with each head for creating an air bearing to support the head when the head is stationed over the surface over a rotating storage disk, each head and associated slider forming a head/slider assembly, and a head positioning arm member adapted to move the head slider assemblies accross the surface of the disk, the improvement comprising: head suspending means for suspendingly supporting each head from a common point on the arm member, in cantilevered fashion, with one head disposed on each side of the longitudinal axis of the arm member;   the head suspending member means inluding a unitary flexure member adapted to be secured to the arm member proximate the middle of the flexure member, the flexure member further having first and second ends distal the middle of the flexture, and, at each of such ends a slider frame adapted to support a head/slider assembly,   the flexure member including a pair of integrally formed leaf springs, one associated with each head/slider assembly to be supported, and means associated with each leaf spring for transferring a pre-load foce generated by the leaf spring to the associated head/slider assembly; and   a pre-load force removing means comprising a channel-shaped member running longitudinally along the flexure member and unload needle, the needle and channel-shaped member being adapted to cooperate with the pre-load force-transferring means to remove the pre-load force from the head/slider assemblies by insertion of the unload needle in the channel-shaped member.   
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 11 further including: (a) the force-transferring means associated with each head/slider assembly has an inclined ramp member (104, 112) depending toward the channel-shaped member (108);   (b) the channel-shaped member having an opening (105, 113) adapted to receive a ramp member (104, 112) from each force-transferring means; and   (c) all ramp members which are received by the channel-shaped member being inclined in the same direction, toward one end of the flexure member,   whereby a single stiff, elongate wire (110) may be inserted in the channel-shaped member from one end thereof to engage and cooperate with the ramp members to remove the pre-load force from the head/slider assemblies.